Goblin Pirate Dragon Shaman

[Tumbler]

I'm running a group of 8th level gestalt characters through the Savage Tide. Currently they are preparing for the end of Tides of Dread (want to avoid spoilers). I want to throw some tough pirates at them if they decide to go attack a ship. I came up with this guy based on a miniature from Reaper of a pirate with a crazy hat and a blunderbuss.

http://www.reapermini.com/gallery/album30/3211_G

I made him a dragonfire adept who focuses his breath weapon through a magic blunderbuss. What he needs is some feats. He has 4 feats open. He is the captain of a band of 15 hobgoblin pirates fighter 2/rogue 2 who otherwise use stats from the adventure.


CUT-EAR THE PIRATE CR 10

Male Goblin Dragonfire Adept
LE Small Humanoid
Init. +2; Senses Listen +12, Spot +12
Languages

AC 18, 13 touch , 16 flat-footed (1 size, 2 Dex, 3 natural, 2 armor, 0 shield)
hp 85 (10 HD) DR 2/magic, Resist Fire 10
Fort +10, Ref +5, Will +8 +1 vs paralysis/sleep

Speed 30 ft. (6 squares), fly 40 ft (average, hover) (8 squares), swim 30 breath water
Melee Rapier +7 (1d4-1)
Ranged
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Base Atk +5; Grp +0
Atk Options “breath weapon (gun)” 30 ft cone or 60 ft line 5d6 fire DC 20, sickening (-2 all rolls) for 2 rounds, 1 round with save, slow breath 2 round or 1 with Fort save (move or standard action only, -1AC/attacks/saves, moves at half speed); sleep for 1 round or exhausted (-6 Str and Dex) for 1 round (cone only)

Combat Gear masterwork leather armor, gun focus +2 DC for Spells or Supernatural abilities, 5x5 carpet of flying, masterwork small rapier
Spells

Abilities Str 8, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 16
SQ Invocations: Aquatic Adaptation, Beguiling Influence, Endure Exposure, energy resistance fire (10)
Feats Dragontouched,
Skills Bluff +22, Diplomacy +22, Intimidate +22, Profession Sailor +10
Possessions letters leading to cove in north, platinum trimmed conch shell, bread

 

[blargney the second]

Entangling breath for starters...

 

[Tumbler]

Good call. Most of the party are very mobile flyers, so anything that lets the minions pound on them helps.

 

[avr]

It may not be technically legal but with a flying carpet and a short-ranged attack, he needs Flyby Attack IMO.

Incidentally, his base attack and grapple in that statblock must be wrong.

 

[Tumbler]

Edited to fix base attack and grapple. I don't plan to have him attack anything but use his breath effects, so I didn't look at those.

 

[Tumbler]

Born Flyer might let him take Fly-by-attack. I'm not sure.

 

[Rvdvelden]

Make sure he gets the invocation that makes his allies immune to his firebreath. It lasts for 24h, so he can cast it waaayyy before combat begins. Imagine the surprise on the players when they're hit with big waves of fire and the lowly crew that stands between them and the captain survive unscathed.

 

[Tumbler]

I gave him the breath effect that lets him leave holes in the breath weapon.

I didn't see an invocation like that. Is it in something other than Dragon Magic?

 

[Rvdvelden]

4 holes for 15 mooks? Not enough. The invocation is in Dragon Magic. It's main effect is that it protects the recipients against hot/cold environments like the Endure Elements spell. The side effect is that all that have the invocation cast at them are immune to the caster's breath weapon. All effects last for 24 hours.

You can then change your shape breath to something more useful

 

[Felix]

Leadership. Give him some Expert 1's to main the ship while the Hobgoblin Marines fight.

Kiai Shout. When he bellows people get afraid. Good for captains of ships crewed by conniving goblins.

Ability Focus. A +2 to save DCs is never a bad thing.